MIDDLESBROUGH head for Selhurst Park tonight bidding to end a 25-year cup hoodoo against bogey team Wimbledon.

Since a David Armstrong penalty secured an FA Cup third-round replay win at Ayresome Park almost exactly a quarter of a century ago, the Dons have knocked Boro out of cup competitions four times.

Including replays, Boro have subsequently faced the Dons on seven occasions - and failed to progress.

A miserable return of only two goals from that sequence is a measure of the hold they have over Boro.

Amazingly, this is the third time in two seasons that the sides have been drawn together.

Boro lost 1-0 at Selhurst last season in the third round of the Worthington Cup and were held to a goalless draw at the Riverside Stadium in an FA Cup fourth-round tie, before losing the replay in South London 3-1 after extra-time.

Tonight marks the 25th anniversary of the sides' first meeting, when Boro drew 0-0 at Plough Lane before their replay win.

Dons boss Terry Burton is desperate to see the re-arranged match, postponed on Saturday, get the go-ahead after three of his club's last four home games were called off because of a frozen pitch.

He said: "It's a big test for us against Middlesbrough. We go into it as underdogs but we want to prove we are good enough to play in the Premiership.

''I'm confident the pitch will be ready. It has been frustrating to have matches called off.

''We like to pass the ball these days, so it is very important to have a decent surface.''

Burton added: ''We always seem to come out of the hat with Boro - it must be fate.

''When the third-round draw was made I got the feeling our ball and theirs were glued together!

''But we have a very good record against them and we have nothing to lose. I hope three in a row is not asking too much.''

The prize for victory this time is a home tie with resurgent Premiership champions Manchester United, who fought back from two down to win 3-2 at Aston Villa in a sensational third-round clash on Sunday night.

Boro boss Steve McClaren is anxious to play down the prospect of a showdown with old boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

So much so, in fact, that the former United No 2 yesterday decided to forego the usual pre-match press conference.

McClaren is likely to stick with Hamilton Ricard and Noel Whelan as his front pairing while speculation rages over the future of leading scorer Alen Boksic.

The five-goal Croatian striker was ruled out of the 2-1 defeat at Arsenal with flu, made a late substitute appearance in the 1-0 New Year's Day home victory over Everton, and was rumoured to have been missing from the original party for the Wimbledon tie.

Whether he figures at all tonight remains to be seen, but McClaren has already made it clear he has faith in Ricard and Whelan - even though the latter has scored the only goal between them this season.

Whelan yesterday issued a public apology to referee Andy D'Urso for comments he made after Boro's game at Arsenal.

Whelan was widely quoted as saying that the Billericay official "must have been p****d'' when he failed to award Boro a free-kick for Thierry Henry's challenge on Paul Ince in the build-up to Robert Pires' equaliser.

Whelan said: "I would like to offer my apologies to Mr D'Urso if my words have caused him any offence."

Boro, meanwhile, are hoping midfielder Carlos Marinelli has recovered from a persistent ankle problem.

Left-back Franck Queudrue is expected to be cleared to play after suffering concussion against Everton, and goalkeeper Mark Crossley is set to shake off a knock to his elbow.

Wimbledon will be without regular keeper Kelvin Davis and full-back Jermaine Darlington, who are suspended.

Swedish international Hakan Mild will also be missing after failing to recover from a groin strain.

* Boro striker Joseph-Desire Job has finally joined French club Metz on loan until the end of the season.

The Cameroon international, signed by former boss Bryan Robson from Lens for £3m in the summer of 2000, has become disillusioned after starting only three games this season and said he didn't want to set foot in Middlesbrough again.

Now the 24-year-old has elected to miss the forthcoming African Nations Cup in a bid to re-establish himself in France.

McClaren said: "It was unfortunate Joseph couldn't command a first-team place with us.

"But he's too good a player not to be getting first-team football and this is a good move for him. We wish him all the best during his time with Metz."

* The collapse of Norwegian striker John Carew's proposed move from Valencia to Fulham could see the Cottagers revive their interest in Boro target Dwight Yorke, who is surplus at Manchester United.

Fulham are understood to have been unhappy about the condition of Carew's knee, though Valencia insist there is no problem.

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